Hand-cleaning-compound dispensing station

ABSTRACT

A hand-cleaning compound dispensing station including a plurality of containers of liquid hand-cleaning compound arranged on a floor surface stacked one on top of the other with the uppermost container being uncovered. An outer housing is placed about the stack of containers which housing has a top wall which overlies the uppermost container. One or more dispensing pumps are mounted on the top wall to dispense hand-cleaning compound from the uppermost container. A recess is formed on the top wall to provide a trough to receive drippings of liquid hand-cleaning compound from the pumps. The outer housing is preferably formed of two similarly sized lower and upper halved sections each of which have tapered walls so that the housing portions may be placed one into the other.

[72} Inventor Selwyn Ancel 2,105,990 1/1938 Schultz et a1. 7. 222/325 River Forest. 111. 2254.168 8/1941 Dale 222/143X [21] Apply No. 772,144 2.818101 12/1957 Peck i v 1. 222/383X {22] Filed Oct. 31,1968 3,385,478 5/1968 Miller et a1. 222/143 [45] Patented Feb. 2, 197] P rzmary ExammerRobert B. Reeves [73 l Asblgnee 5 :32:5 Corporation Assistant Examiner-David A. Scherbel a corporation of Deiaware Attorney-Wallenstem, Span genberg, Hams & Strampel 54 H ND- LEANIN -C MP UND DISPEN INC l 1 ATlgN G O 0 S ABSTRACT: A hand-cleaning compound dispensing station 10 ClaimsJDrawing Figs including a plurality of containers of liquid hand-cleaning compound arranged on a floor surface stacked one on top of [52] US. Cl 222/143, the other with the uppermost container being uncovered, An 2 183 outer housing is placed about the stack of containers which [51] lllLCl l. B65d 47/34 housing has a top wall which overlies the uppermost con- [50] Fleld of Search 222/108, talnen One or more dispensing pumps are mounted on the top 4, 2 8 05, 1 6, 1 1 2- wall to dispense hand-cleaning compound from the uppermost q 1red):220/97B, 1 container. A recess is formed on the top wall to provide a q l trough to receive drippings of liquid hand-cleaning compound from the pumps. The outer housing is preferably formed of [56] References cned two similarly sized lower and upper halved sections each of N TE STATES PATENTS which have tapered walls so that the housing portions may be 953,648 3/1910 Tyson 222/ l 08 placed one into the otherv H I l l l 35- y 26 l l [2 I |l 1 1 1L! 1 I I ,4 l /-2Z I-IAND-CLEANING-COMPOUND DISPENSING STATION This invention relates generally to liquid dispensing devices, and more particularly to hand-cleaning compound dispensing apparatus.

Heretofore, washrooms for workers in shops and factories included one or more wash basins and generally a container of hand-cleaning compound either of the powder, paste or liquid type. These types of hand cleaners, when provided by the shop or factory, are either placed in some sort of hand operated dispensing device which is usually mounted on a wall or stand in the vicinity of the wash basin or they are merely placed in open containers on or near the wash basin. When wall or stand mounted dispensing devices are used, they must be filled frequently to ensure a sufficient amount of hand-cleaning compound will be available for all the workers who are cleaning their hands during periods of high congestion, such as at lunch hour and quitting time. When open containers of handcleaning compound are used, its users dip their hands intending to take more hand-cleaning compound than is necessary to clean their hands as well as unsanitarily contaminating the product. Therefore, devices heretofore provided for dispensing or supplying hand-cleaning compound are inefficient in that they either require frequent filling and maintaining or there is a considerable amount of waste.

Accordingly, one of the objects of the present invention is to provide hand-cleaning dispensing apparatus which provides a very large supply of hand-cleaning compound so the receptacle, therefore, requires no refilling and which dispenses only the necessary amount of cleaning compound.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide handcleaning compound dispensing apparatus as described which forms a self-contained fast, traffic noncongesting, dispensing station supportable on the floor and which extend to an elevation of several feet where it can be conveniently reached by the user thereof.

A related object of this invention is to provide apparatus as just described which is made up of a small number of parts which can be easily and quickly assembled into a dispensing station and which when disassembled can be conveniently stacked for storage or shipment.

Another object of this invention is to provide apparatus as described which is simple and inexpensive.

Briefly, the dispensing station of this invention includes at least two prefilled initially covered containers of liquid handcleaning compound which are stached one on top of the other with the cover of the upper container preferably removed. An outer housing is placed about the containers, the housing having a top wall which overlies the open upper container. One or more dispensing pumps are secured to the top housing wall such that the receiving tube of each pump extends well down into the liquid compound within the upper container, and the dispensing nozzle of each pump extends above the top wall. The outer housing is most advantageously formed of two separate parts, one placed on top of the other. The lower and upper housing parts are similarly sized and shaped tapered divergingly from a closed end to an open end so the lower and upper housing portions may be placed one into the other to form a compact assembly for convenient storage or shipping from the place of manufacture to the place of use.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be more fully realized and understood from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals throughout the various views of the drawings are intended to designate similar elements or components.

FIG. I is an exploded perspective view of a dispensing station constructed in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 2 is an assembled perspective view of the dispensing station of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the dispensing station of this invention taken along line III-III of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing the construction of the upper end of a container and its'associated cover;

FIGv 5 IS a sectional view showing the cooperation between the cover for a container and the bottom end of another container;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view of the top end of one of the containers shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 showing the cover in a lock, sealed-tight condition; and

FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the engaged portion of the two parts making up the housing portion of the dispensing station.

Now referring to the drawing there is illustrated a handcleaning compound dispensing station which is designated generally by reference numeral 10. A pair of containers I2 and I4 are provided, and in each container there is a quantity of liquid hand-cleaning compound. The containers [2 and 14 are arranged so as to be stacked one on top of the other with the top cover of the upper container 12 being removed when the dispensing station 10 is assembled for use.

As best seen in FIG. 6, a top cover 16 is secured to the container l2 and held in place by a plurality of bent over fingerlike tabs 18 which are formed on the cover 16. The tabs 18 are bent partially around a rolled upper edge 19 of the container I2 in a manner to slightly deform a gasket 20 which is placed between the edge 19 and the cover 16. The gasket 20 provides a seal between the container and its cover. The cover 16 is removed from the container 12 by straightening the tabs 18 and lifting the cover from the container, as shown in FIG. 4.

In use, the container 14 is placed into a lower housing section 22 and rests upon a bottom wall 23 thereof. The container 12 is then placed on top of the container 14. As seen in FIG. 5, a cover 25, which is secured to the top of container 14, is provided with a recess 24 as is the cover 16. The recess 24 in each of the covers serves to receive and contain the bottom end of the container placed thereon to maintain the containers in a stacked condition.

An open bottom upper housing section 26 is placed over the container 12 in such a manner as to have the open end thereof in alignment with the open top of the lower housing section 22. To facilitate the alignment of the lower and upper housings section 22 and 26, as seen in FIG. 7, a flange 28 is formed about the periphery of the upper housing section 26 to set upon a peripheral flange 29 of the lower housing section 22. A depending portion 28a is provided on the flange 28 to engage the flange 29 and maintain alignment of the two housing portions. It will be understood that the flange 28 may be formed on the lower housing portion 22 if desired.

The upper housing section 26 includes a top wall 30 which may be formed as an integral part thereof. A pair of dispensing pumps 31 and 32 are shown secured to the top wall 30 near the central portion of the wall. The dispensing pump 31 includes a dispensing nozzle 34 which extends above the top wall and a receiving tube 35 which extends below the top wall and into the uncovered container 12. A hand operated plunger 33 is located at the top of the dispensing pump and is part of a hollow tube 330 which carries the nozzle 34. When the plunger 33 is pressed downward, the hollow tube 33a and noule 34 move with the plunger. The bottom end of the hollow tube 33a moves within a pump mechanism, not shown, and operates in a manner well known in the art to convey the liquid hand-cleaning compound within container 12 up through the receiving tube 35, the hollow tube 33a and out the nozzle 34. It will be understood that the dispensing pump 32 is I constructed and operates in the same manner as the pump 31.

A recess or well 36 is formed in the top wall 30, and portions of the well are located directly beneath the nozzle outlets of the dispensing pumps 31 and 32 to catch drippings thereupon. In the preferred embodiment shown on the drawings, the well 36 has four inclined surfaces which begin at the outer edge of the top wall 30 and angle downwardly toward the center thereof.

One feature of the dispensing unit of this invention is the provision of tapered vertical walls on both the lower and upper housing portions 22 and 26. The sidewalls as well as the front and rear walls are tapered so as to be diverging from the closed end of each housing portion to the open end thereof. This feature enables the housing portions to be placed one within the other to facilitate packaging the unit for shipment from the manufacturer to the ultimate user. To also facilitate packaging of the dispensing unit, the dispensing pumps 31 and 32 may be supplied in a simple disassembled condition. and after the dispensing unit is received by the user, the pumps are easily secured to the top wall 30.

Although there is shown a specific embodiment of my unique dispensing unit for hand-cleaning compounds, it sill be understood that variations and modifications may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention.

1 claim:

I. A hand-cleaning compound dispensing station, comprising, in combination: at least two containers of a liquid handcleaning compound, each of said containers having a top cover, said containers being arranged on a floor surface with one stacked on top of the other, said container being reversible in position so that the initially uppermost container when emptied and with its cover in place forms a base support for the other container; an outer housing positioned about said plurality of containers and having a top wall over said uppermost container; and at least one manually operatable dispensing pump secured to said top wall and including a dispensing nozzle which extends above said top wall and a receiving tube which extends downwardly into an opening in the top of uppermost container of said plurality of containers to direct liquid therefrom to said noule when the pump is manually operated.

2. A hand-cleaning compound dispensing station according to claim 1 wherein each of said plurality of containers below the uppermost container has a top cover which is conforrnably 'shaped to receive snugly the bottom of the container above the same.

3. A hand-cleaning compound dispensing station according to claim 1 wherein said top wall of said housing includes a recessed portion beneath the dispensing nozzle of said dispensing pump to form a well for preventing drippings of hand-cleaning compound from the nozzle from falling onto the floor.

4. A hand-cleaning compound dispensing station according to claim 1 wherein said outer housing comprises a lower housing unit for enclosing the lowermost container and an upper housing unit positioned on top of said lower housing unit and enclosing the uppermost container.

5. A hand-cleaning compound dispensing station according to claim 4 wherein said housing units are similarly sized tapered units with one unit being insertable within the other to provide a compact assembly thereby for storage or shipment.

6. The hand-cleaning compound dispensing station of claim 5 wherein, said lower housing unit is wider at the top where it is open. said upper housing unit is wider at its bottom where it is open, and said top wall is an integral part of said upper housing unit.

7. A hand-cleaning compound dispensing station according to claim 1 wherein said outer housing comprises a lower housing unit for receiving said bottommost container, said lower housing unit including a bottom wall and sidewalls terminations in a flange at the top thereof, said bottommost container unit resting on said bottom wall, and an upper housing unit positioned on top of said lower housing unit for receiving said uppermost container, said upper housing unit including downwardly extending sidewall terminating in a flange at the bottom thereof to engage and seat on the flange of said lower housing unit.

8. A hand-cleaning compound dispensing station according to claim 7 wherein said upwardly extending walls of said lower housing unit are t'apered with the smaller dimension end located at the bottom of said lower housing portion and the larger dimensional end located at the top thereof, and said downwardly extending walls of said upper housing unit are tapered with the smaller dimensional end located at the top thereof, one of said housin units when inverted from its normal position fitting into t e other to provide a small package for shipment.

9. A hand-cleaning compound dispensing station according to claim 7 wherein said flange on said upper housing unit has a depending edge which receives the flange of said lower housing unit to maintain said upper and lower housing units in alignment. 7

10. A hand-cleaning compound dispensing assembly comprising first and second containers of a liquid hand-cleaning compound, each of said container having a top cover, and said first and second containers being stackable one on top the other with the upper container having its top cover removed, and said top covers being conformably shaped to receive and contain the bottom of the container placed thereon; a lower housing unit to be placed on a floor surface for receiving the lower one of said first and second containers, and an upper housing unit positionable on top of said lower housing unit for receiving the upper one of said first and second container, said upper housing unit bears a top wall and said top wall of said upper housing unit including a recessed portion for forming a well; at least one dispensing pump securable to said top wall and including a dispensing nozzle which is to extend above said top wall and a receiving tube which is to extend downwardly into the upper container of liquid hand-cleaning compound, said dispensing nozzle terminating over the recessed portion of said top wall thereby preventing drippings of hand-cleaning compound from the nozzle from spilling onto the floor. 

1. A hand-cleaning compound dispensing station, comprising, in combination: at least two containers of a liquid hand-cleaning compound, each of said containers having a top cover, said containers being arranged on a floor surface with one stacked on top of the other, said container being reversible in position so that the initially uppermost container when emptied and with its cover in place forms a base support for the other container; an outer housing positioned about said plurality of containers and having a top wall over said uppermost container; and at least one manually operatable dispensing pump secured to said top wall and including a dispensing nozzle which extends above said top wall and a receiving tube which extends downwardly into an opening in the top of uppermost container of said plurality of containers to direct liquid therefrom to said nozzle when the pump is manually operated.
 2. A hand-cleaning compound dispensing station according to claim 1 wherein each of said plurality of containers below the uppermost container has a top cover which is conformably shaped to receive snugly the bottom of the container above the same.
 3. A hand-cleaning compound dispensing station according to claim 1 wherein said top wall of said housing includes a recessed portion beneath the dispensing nozzle of said dispensing pump to form a well for preventing drippings of hand-cleaning compound from the nozzle from falling onto the floor.
 4. A hand-cleaning compound dispensing station according to claim 1 wherein said outer housing comprises a lower housing unit for enclosing the lowermost container and an upper housing unit positioned on top of said lower housing unit and enclosing the uppermost container.
 5. A hand-cleaning compound dispensing station according to claim 4 wherein said housing units are similarly sized tapered units with one unit being insertable within the other to provide a compact assembly thereby for storage or shipment.
 6. The hand-cleaning compound dispensing station of claim 5 wherein, said lower housing unit is wider at the top where it is open, said upper housing unit is wider at its bottom where it is open, and said top wall is an integral part of said upper housing unit.
 7. A hand-cleaning compound dispensing station according to claim 1 wherein said outer housing comprises a lower housing unit for receiving said bottommost container, said lower housing unit including a bottom wall and sidewalls terminations in a flange at the top thereof, said bottommost container unit resting on said bottom wall, and an upper housing unit positioned on top of said lower housing unit for receiving said uppermost container, said upper housing unit including downwardly extending sidewall terminating in a flange at the bottom thereof to engage and seat on the flange of said lower housing unit.
 8. A hand-cleaning compound dispensing station according to claim 7 wherein said upwardly extending walls of said lower housing unit are tapered with the smaller dimension end located at the bottom of said lower housing portion and the larger dimensional end located at the top thereof, and said downwardly extending walls of said upper housing unit are tapered with the smaller dimensional end located at the top thereof, and one of said housing units when inverted from its normal position fitting into the other to provide a small package for shipment.
 9. A hand-cleaning compound dispensing station according to claim 7 wherein said flange on said upper housing unit has a depending edge which receives the flange of said lower housing unit to maintain said upper and lower housing units in alignment.
 10. A hand-cleaning compound dispensing assembly comprising first and second containers of a liquid hand-cleaning compound, each of said container having a top cover, and said first and second containers being stackable one on top the other with the upper container having its top cover removed, and said top covers being conformably shaped to receive and contain the bottom of the container placed thereon; a lower housing unit to be placed on a floor surface for receiving the lower one of said first and second containers, and an upper housing unit positionable on top of said lower housing unit for receiving the upper one of said first and second container, said upper housing unit bears a top wall and said top wall of said upper housing unit including a recessed portion for forming a well; at least one dispensing pump securable to said top wall and including a dispensing nozzle which is to extend above said top wall and a receiving tube which is to extend downwardly into the upper container of liquid hand-cleaning compound, said dispensing nozzle terminating over the recessed portion of said top wall thereby preventing drippings of hand-cleaning compound from the nozzle from spilling onto the floor. 